1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electronic testing equipment, and specifically to testing of solar simulators.
2. Background
Solar simulators reproduce radiation equivalent to sunlight when needed and without regard to time of day or weather. Many types of solar simulators are available. For example, one type of solar simulator comprises a high-pressure xenon arc lamp with filtration to reduce excessive infra-red and ultraviolet power.
Solar simulators provide a number of services. For example, a solar simulator may be used to check photovoltaic cell performance prior to assembly into solar panels. Other testing environments require solar simulators such as photochemical reactions, photobiology research, material degradation research, photo-toxicity, and color and material stability for textile, plastics and paints.
In addition to testing, solar simulators have taken on a significant role in the area of solar power. Once solar cells have been arrayed in solar panels, the solar panels may be used for power generation. However, the generation of power is subject to the incidence of sunlight which varies with the sun's passage and ends completely during the hours of darkness. Therefore, solar simulators are used to maintain a steady rate of power generation during a full twenty-four hour period.
In order to fulfill any of the foregoing roles, a solar simulator must provide a full spectrum of incident light that meets the specification for the particular application. The particular specification states the spectrum of the sunlight for the location of the solar panel. Thus a specification for a solar simulator simulating sunlight at noon in Montreal, Canada will be substantially different from a specification for a solar simulator providing artificial sunlight that simulates sunlight at noon in Panama City, Panama. Additionally, the altitude at which a solar panel may be located will affect the specification for the solar simulator.
In order to determine whether a solar simulator meets the specification it must be tested. Generally, at least two tests are required: a current versus voltage plot and a shunt resistor measurement. Testing may be time consuming and expensive because setting up the foregoing tests requires two different devices and changing the position of the test device changes the incidence of light.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method, apparatus, and computer program code that may overcome one or more of the issues described above, as well as other possible issues.